Maud Smith Marks Branch Library

Maud Marks Library is located at the intersection of Westgreen Blvd. and Highland Knolls. From I-10 W take the Westgreen exit. Turn left and go under the freeway. Continue for approximately two and a half miles, crossing through the Highland Knolls Intersection. The library is the second building on the left after the intersection (next to the fire station). (Key Map #486K)

The 3D Printer is back! Teen Tech Week will be celebrated at the Maud Marks Library during Spring Break on March 11 at 3 PM. Tweens and Teens are invited to join us as we print 3D objects. Come by and learn how this technology works and see it in action!

Please register by calling the library at 281-492-8592 or signing up online here.

Do you have an enormous to-do list that needs immediate attention? Well throw that list away and head over to the Maud Marks Branch Library. On March 2nd through March 7th, the library will be celebrating National Procrastination Week with a National Procrastination Week Display. From books to DVDs, the display will have everything you need to help distract yourself from those everyday emergencies. However, if you feel too guilty procrastinating for a whole week, the display will also have plenty of items to help you get a head start on that massive to-do list. To procrastinate or not? The choice is yours!

Next Month let’s have fun celebrating St. Patrick’s Day at the Adult DIY class. We will be making lovely luminaires. They kind of reminded me of little pots of gold. They look so nice lit up in the dark. Maybe we can fool a leprechaun! Because of Spring Break the meeting room will be used for other programs so we will have to change our meeting day. The date will be the third Tuesday, March 17th, instead of the second Tuesday. The time is the same, 2pm – 4pm. Be sure to register here or call the library at 281-492-8592. Class size will be strictly limited to 10 adults this time because of supplies. Come and have a fun St. Patrick’s Day with us! Hope to see you there!

Have you decided to plant a spring garden and need some advice on how to get started? The Master Gardeners of Harris County will be here at the Maud Marks Library on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015, at 10 am, teaching you how to grow spring vegetables, and take them from your garden to your table. Yummy! Register on line at www.hcpl.net.

Ready for some exciting family entertainment? On Monday February 16 at the Maud Marks Branch Library, we will be showing Lady and the Tramp in the meeting room. The movie will begin at 3 PM with free popcorn provided.

The Maud Marks Branch Library opened on July 27, 1993. The library's namesake, Maud Smith Marks (1887-1970), was co-owner of the _H7 (LH7) Ranch in Addicks, Texas. As the bride of Emil Marks, Mrs. Marks first came to the area in 1907 at the age of 20. By the 1930s the Marks' 63-acre ranch had grown to 30,000 acres, incorporating land in Barker, Texas.

Concerned that her four children would be learning about and from books, Mrs. Marks contracted with Harris County to have library books delivered to Barker, Texas in the 1920s. From the Barker church (and later its store) she operated the first small County Library in the Barker area, issuing library cards and seeing that children in the area had plenty of reading materials. Mrs. Marks is recognized as a woman who worked hard to provide culture and education.

The Maud Marks Branch Library's entrance is lined with a mural of beautifully painted tiles of hands. These tiles include the name of each supporter who contributed to the library's wall project.

The Friends of Maud Marks Library first met in 1984, nine years before the library opened in 1993. First known as the Friends of Mason Creek Library, they worked long and energetically to get a county library for the rapidly growing west Harris County area. The Friends were able to gather support and funds and found a local real estate developer (Vincent Kickerillo), who donated the land for the proposed library. They also sought out large corporate sponsorships ($50,00 from Amoco) and raised funds from the community as well.

It was the Friends who researched the area and discovered the cultural contribution made by Maud Smith Marks and proposed that the new library be named in her honor. Once the library had a name so did the Friends, who therefore became the "Friends of Maud Marks Library" in 1988.

The Friends continue to provide the library with funds for services, books, and programs. They generously fund children's programs and have provided computers for public use as well. Most of their fundraising comes through their monthly book sale for which they always need new volunteers and book donations.

Volunteer opportunities abound at the Maud Marks Library. Volunteers are needed to help shelve, count patrons, and more. Students should be in high school and must be able to commit to two hours a week. If you would like to help in anyway, please contact Naomi Haught at 281-492-8592.

Information for Persons with Disabilities: Harris County Public Library will make reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities who are interested in attending library programs. To make a request for yourself or someone you know, please notify the Branch Librarian two working days in advance of the program.